Squib-holder.



PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

J. R. POWELL.

SQUIB HOLDER.

APPLICATION run) my 10. 1905.

atrozuu JOHN R. POWELL, OF PLYMOUTH, PENNSYLVANIA. SQUlB-HOLDERrSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.

Application filed May 10, 1905- Serial NO- 259,729,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JoHN R. POWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Plymouth, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Squib-Holder, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel squib holder and shield.

In mine-blasting a hole usually several feet in depth is drilled. At theinner end of this hole the charge is placed and is tamped to form aneedle-hole extending out from the charge to the face of the rock.Sometimes in lieu of the tamping a blasting-barrel is inserted in thedrilled opening. In either event a conduit is formed for the receptionof a squib, which preferably comprises front and rear sections and amatch. The squib is inserted in the outer end of the conduit, and thefront section is wedged securely in place to prevent dislodgment of thesquib by air or gas currents or by the concussion of adjacent blasts.The protruding end of the match is then ignited, and when the firereaches the rear fuse-section the latter flies back and ignites thecharge.

My present invention relates to a novel holder and shield for firmlysecuring the squib in place in the conduit and for effectually shieldingthe match from gas or other currents which frequently issue from theouter end of the conduit and tend to extinguish the match, which isslow-burning, be fore the powder or other explosive substance in thefuse proper is reached by' the fire.

The object of the invention is to produce a simple inexpensive devicewhich may be constructed from a single piece of metal or other suitablematerial and which when inserted in the end of the squib-conduit willsecure the s uib in place and effectually deflect gas or ofher currentsaway from the match, so that there is practically no danger ofprematurely extinguishing the match, even though the gas-currents aresufficiently strong to dislodge an unsecured squib from theconduit.

To the accomplishment of this object the invention resides in thatconstruction of holder and shield to be hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and defined in the appendedclaims.

In said drawings, Fi ure 1 is a side elevation of a blasting-barre withmy holder and shield applied as in use. Fig. 2 is an end View of thesubject-matter of Fig. 1. Fig. 3

is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the holder detached. Fig. 5 is a rear end elevation thereof.Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the holder. Figs. 7 and 8 aretop and bottom plan views, respectively, of the same subj cot-matter,and Fig. 9 is a transverse section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

1 indicates a blasting-barrel which extends back to the charge (notshown) and constitutes a squib-conduit, it being understood that myinvention is applicable for the holding and shielding of a squib withina conduit regardless of the manner in which the latter is formed.

2 indicates a squib, the form shown comprising front and rear sections 3and 4 and a match 5 extending from the front end of the section 3. Thesquib holder and shield 6 is designed to securely hold the front section3 against the wall of the conduit. The holder 6 is preferably-formed ina single piece of metal and comprises a tapered portion or wedge 7 andan enlarged head 8. Viewed in plan the wedge 7 is substantiallyparallelsided; but the upper and lower edges thereof convergerearwardly, as shown in Fig. 6. The side faces 9 and 10 of the wedge 7-are rounded, as shown in Fig. 9, the curvature of these facescorresponding substantially to that of the squib-conduit. The head 8 isconsiderably larger than the wedge and projects beyond the outer end ofthe squib-conduit. In fact, this head is preferably of such size as toprevent the holder from being forced entirely within the barrel orconduit 1. Extending longitudinally of the under side or face of theholder from end to end thereof is a groove or inverted trough 11, thatportion of the trough extending along the wedge being too shallow toentirely receive the squib, and thus causing the latter to project belowthe wedge and in contact with the bottom wall of the conduit. As thetopwall of this groove or channel 11 extends in a substantially Straightline from end to end of the holder, its front end is comparatively deepin consequence of the comparatively large diameter of the head 8. Thisdeepened portion of the channel or trough 11 is indicated by 12 in Fig.3 and is designed to constitute a shield or protector for that part ofthe squib which is bent downwardly to dispose the match 5 considerablybelow the outer end of the squib-conduit. I/Vhen the holder is inserted,the bottom wall of the wedge 7 is substan- IOR' IIO

tially parallel with the adjacent wall of the conduit, the upper edge 13thereof being upwardly inclined from the rear end of the wedge to thefront or outer end of the head 8, the top side of the head being formedwith a concavity 14, the bottom of which constitutes a continuation ofthe upper edge or face 13 of the wedge 7.

In practice the holder and squib are inserted in the outer end of thesquib-conduit until the combined dimensions of the wedge and squib aresuflicient to cause them to bind against the walls of the conduit withsufficient friction to securely retain the parts in place, it beingunderstood, of course, that as the walls of the conduit convergeupwardly from the horizontal diameter thereof the wedge will engagethese walls with increasing resistance as said wedge is moved fartherinto the conduit.

It will be noted that above the holder is formed a vent through whichgases may escape from the conduit without being discharged in proximityto the squib. On the contrary, the squib being located below the holderand having its match end bend downwardly and the upper edge of theholder being upwardly and outwardly inclined, as shown, the escapinggases will be directed upwardly away from the match and will beseparated from the latter by the interposed holder.

Obviously the upper side of the head might be made flat instead ofconcaved, as shown, or in lieu of the concavity the upper portion of thehead might be pierced by an opening extending back to the conduit, itbeing essential, however, that some provision be made for the escape ofgas and that the escaping gas be so directed that it will not tend toextinguish the match of the squib.

It is thought that from the foregoing the construction of my novel squibholder and shield will be fully comprehended; but while the presentembodiment of the invention is thought at this time to be preferable Idesire to reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications, andvariations of the illustrated structure as may come fairly within thescope of the protection prayed.

That I claim is 1. A squib-holder, including a wedge having roundedsides and converging top and bottom faces, one of which latter isprovided with a longitudinal groove or channel.

2. A squib-holder, including a wedge having substantially paralleltransversely-rounded sides and a longitudinal groove or channelextending along its bottom.

3. A squib-holder, including a wedge having a longitudinal groove orchannel of substantially the same depth for the major portion of itslength.

4. A squib-holder including a wedge having substantially parallel sides,and a groove or channel extending along one of the converging sides ofthe wedge and of substantially the same depth for the major portion ofits length to provide for comparatively extensive engagement of thesquib.

5. In combination, a squib-conduit, and a squib-holder including a wedgeextended into the conduit and spaced from the upper side thereof toprovide a vent, said wedge having a longitudinal groove or channel inits under side face for the reception of the squib.

6. In combination, a squib-conduit, and a squib holder, including awedge extended into the conduit and having its upper face spaced fromthe upper side of the conduit to form a vent and inclined upwardlytoward the outer end of the conduit to deflect the escaping gasupwardly, and a longitudinal groove or channel extending along the underside of the wedge to receive the squib.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a squibholder, including a wedgeadapted to be inserted in the squib-conduit, and an enlarged head at oneend of the wedge.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a squibholder comprising a wedge, anenlarged head at one end thereof, and a longitudinal groove or channelfor the reception of the squib.

9. A squib, having an enlarged head, a comparatively narrow Wedgeextended from the head, and a longitudinal groove or channel extendingfrom end to end of the holder.

10. A squib-holder, comprising a wedge, and an enlarged head at one endthereof, said holder having a longitudinal groove or channel extendingalong its .under side from end to end thereof, the upper face of theholder being upwardly inclined from the inner end of the wedge to theouter end of the holder.

1 1. A squibholder, including a wedge having parallel sides andconverging top and bottom faces, an enlarged head at one end of thewedge, a longitudinal groove extending the entire length of the holderat the under side thereof, and a concavity formed in the upper side ofthe head to prevent said head from ob structing the escape of gases froma squibconduit in which the wedge is inserted.

12. As a new article of manufacture, a transversely trough-shapedsquib-shield.

13. As a new article of manufacture, a transversely trough-shapedsquib-shield having a longitudinal taper to permit said shield to bewedged into the squib-conduit.

14:. The combination with a squib-conduit, of a squib shield and holderarranged to guard the squib-match and having a tapered portion adaptedto be wedged in the conduit.

15. In combination with the blasting-barrel, a squib shield and holderformed of flameresisting material and constructed to be secured in andproject from the barrel and form a protection for the squib, the part ofthe shield and holder within the barrel serving to hold the squib inplace.

16. In combination with the blasting-barrel, a squib-shield independentof the squib and held in place by the barrel so as to partially incloseand protect that portion of the squib-projecting from the barrel.

17. As a new article of manufacture, a squib-shield of the characterdescribed, designed to shield all except the extremity of a squib-matchprojecting from the squib-conduit, said shield having a tapered portionadapted to be wedged in the conduit to insure its retention in place.

18. The combination with a squib-conduit, of a squib shield and holderretaining the squib against movement in the conduit and arranged toguard the squib-match projecting beyond the outer end of the conduit.

19. The combination with a blasting-barrel, of a tapered squib-shieldwedged therein and having its larger end projecting therefrom.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afliXedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN R. POWELL.

WVitnesses C. WV. HONEYWELL, OWEN W. EDWARDS.

